On April 23rd and 24th, I worked around three hours on the galaxies in Markarian's Chain and around it, with my WO 72mm f/6 Megrez apo and binoviewer, magnifications from 21x to 53x and monocularly with powers up to 84x. Many galaxies could be seen in the field already at 21x, but 26x and 29x was clearly better and I sketched most of the galaxies with 29x. Later, I used the scope mono and with powers up to 84x to tease out the small companions to M87 as well as a few other little buggers. After discovering some minor errors, I reobserved the field on the 24th and saw a few more gaalxies. The final result was drawn on a Cartes du Ciel map, printed on extra-white paper and scanned and inverted into a positive.

The original sketch is mirror-reversed, but I've uploaded it in the correct orientation here. I could see fainter stars than those printed on the CdC print, but I didn't bother plotting them all in. That would have taken me hours and totally cluttered the drawing. Anyone who said Virgo was not rich in stars obviously didn't look after them or tried drawing wide fields.

I am impressed by the deep-sky abilities of my WO 72. It has completely replaced my Zeiss Telemator. The WO 72 goes quite a bit deeper.

@joelimite: I was in my rural/village backyard, which has mag 6.5 skies or better on clear nights. The two nights I worked on Markarian's Chain were clear and crisp. Lots of galaxies glowed faintly through the eyepieces of my Baader Maxbright bino or a single eyepiece at higher power. It was terrific. It has been continuously clear for over a week now and I am a half-zombie already. I was out two and a half hour last night and four before that and it's still clear, with no end in sight!

A nice sketch, has a good feeling to it but it'd feel more "authentic" to me if the stars - no matter how few - were drawn manually at the eyepiece.

In my view, there's no need sketch all the stars visible at the eyepiece but only the brightest ones for example. Saves a lot of time, as does this imported version too, and leaves more time for sketching of the actual objects which is the most important part. In countries such as mine when during the summer you cannot observe and the cloudy nights are many... you need to optimize everything

A nice sketch, has a good feeling to it but it'd feel more "authentic" to me if the stars - no matter how few - were drawn manually at the eyepiece.

I quite agree. However...

In countries such as mine when during the summer you cannot observe and the cloudy nights are many... you need to optimize everything

My problem exactly! The summer twilight nights start tomorrow and in two weeks time, there will be no more galaxy observing until August. And Virgo is FAR from as devoid from stars as an S&T article I once read would like to have you believe.

In my view, there's no need sketch all the stars visible at the eyepiece but only the brightest ones for example.

I disagree. While I haven't drawn *every* little star visible while working on the sketches I've posted recently, I have added some of the fainter ones close to the galaxies, at least if they were involved in the galaxy. When I worked without preprinted star fields, I drew *every* star I saw in the field. I think omitting them is a serious error, especially if they're close to the galaxy - what if one of them was a supernova?

And to everyone: Thanks for all the kind comments! This mosaic field has proven to be my most popular sketch by far.

I disagree. While I haven't drawn *every* little star visible while working on the sketches I've posted recently, I have added some of the fainter ones close to the galaxies, at least if they were involved in the galaxy. When I worked without preprinted star fields, I drew *every* star I saw in the field. I think omitting them is a serious error, especially if they're close to the galaxy - what if one of them was a supernova?

I understand that when it comes to supernovae and such, say stars within a nebula etc but for me sketching every stars visible in the field is just too much work and a huge waste of time. So you might miss a few novae or supernovae but that's not a big deal to me I think I've spotted 4-5 stars (over a decade) near galaxies (one near M82 for example) that haven't been visible in any of the modern photographs or reported as possible supernova - for me it is just puzzling not at all exiting!

With a ready starfield, new objects, asteroids and such will be a lot easier to pick up if interested in such things. It surely is a huge bonus for those who're interested and of little time. I can see it working very well.

But like usual, two different people, two different ways and opinions and it is all good!

My problem exactly! The summer twilight nights start tomorrow and in two weeks time, there will be no more galaxy observing until August.

It really didn't hit me that you're actually that high north! You're still more than 5 degrees further south than me so you few more weeks in a year to go than me. The little island you're on seems quite a good place to observe. Might give it a go some time, must be a lovely place!

But for me, summer is time to relax and take few months away from entire hobby and focus completely on something else. One can of course take a few weeks off work and visit Canary Islands or something for some serious star gazing if the withdrawal symptom get too bad

But for me, summer is time to relax and take few months away from entire hobby and focus completely on something else. One can of course take a few weeks off work and visit Canary Islands or something for some serious star gazing if the withdrawal symptom get too bad

I observe the sun intensively during summer, thus keeping the withdrawal symptoms at bay. Still, every July, when the milky way returns, I begin to observe as soon as I can see even hints of any deep-sky object, and it's always a wonderful moment to see them again, even if it's just M57 or M27. Last year, I was quite surprised to find many small, faint planetary nebulae surprisingly visible in the bright sky and I will try to make them my summer observing project.

The little island you're on seems quite a good place to observe. Might give it a go some time, must be a lovely place!

It is. I've got good skies! Sometimes approaching mag 7, though we do suffer from the low altitude and high level of humidity. Weather is very pleasant in summer here, generally, with good daytime seeing, a bonus from being surrounded by the sea.